Rapa Nui is world famous for its dramatic landscapes. Photo / Marc Shields
Rapa Nui is world famous for its dramatic landscapes. Photo / Marc Shields
There is self-isolating, and then there is self-isolating on one of the most remote places on the planet, Rapa Nui.
And that is exactly what former West Auckland man Marc Shields is doing with his Rapa Nui wife Tuhiira Tucki and their three children.
A lockdown there barring all flights to the popular tourist destination has seen a massive reduction in the island population, and with streets, beaches and parks deserted, and supermarket stocks limited, the indigenous inhabitants have turned to traditional ways to deal with the crisis - living off the land and the sea.
"It is super peaceful," Shields told the Herald.
"During the mornings we go fishing, and spearfishing. We've planted sweet potato and yams. I don't think we could always live like this but it is nice going back to the old ways."
Marc Shields with his wife Tuhiira Tucki, eldest son Heki'i (15) and their 7-year-old daughter Heikura in the back, and 2-year-old son Ihaka centre front. Photo / Supplied
The couple normally run a tourism operation on the Chilean-governed island, also known as Easter Island, which - like New Zealand - has been in lockdown for the past few weeks with a curfew in place from 2pm to 5am each day.
The island is about as isolated as it gets, situated 3500km off the coast of Chile, and about a five-hour flight from the capital Santiago.
The island of 7750 people - about half indigenous Rapa Nui descendants and half from mainland Chile - is renowned for its giant humanoid monoliths called moai, that were sculpted from basalt more than 1000 years ago.
But there are real fears of an outbreak on the tourism hotspot, which sees some 100,000 visitors a year.
There have been five cases recorded so far, all from the same household, and with limited healthcare options local authorities are working desperately to contain the outbreak.
Tourists have been barred from entering the island during the lockdown period, which started March 19, and authorities on Rapa Nui this week rejected the central government's ruling to cut short the island's Covid-19 quarantine.
"It is a difficult situation," Shields said.
"Many here live off tourism, but the locals don't want tourists to come in yet and potentially bring in the disease. You can sense there is a bit of tension around."
The world-famous moai of Rapa Nui. Photo / Marc Shields
Like in Māori culture, Tucki said the Polynesian descendants had strong concerns for their elders.
"Our elders are very important to us in our culture, but they are very vulnerable. So we are all trying to do our best to stay home and away from any source of infection."
The island had one hospital and two ventilators, she said, and anyone who became really sick would need to be sent to the mainland.
"We just don't have the facilities here to deal with an outbreak."
Also similar to Māori culture, the island had enacted a "tapu" way of dealing with the lockdown.
Mayor Pedro Edmunds told AFP the inhabitants had reverted to their ancient tradition of tapu, based on taking care of oneself.
"To accompany this self-care concept, we're applying the Rapa Nui tradition, an ancestral rule based on sustainability and respect."
With the tourists gone there is more time for taking photos of the dramatic landscapes of Rapa Nui. Photo / Marc Shields
It meant the lockdown had been widely respected, preventing the virus from spreading far and wide.
Similarly in New Zealand, Māori have started their own checkpoints to enforce lockdown regulations and share messages about the virus, acknowledging the disproportionate impact such diseases can have on their people.
But for the young Shields family, living in the countryside away from the main town, the lockdown period had also given them a chance to revert to the island lifestyle they dreamed of.
Rapa Nui is a popular tourist destination with about 100,000 visitors a year. Photo / Marc Shields
Like many around the world much of their lockdown has been spent on quality time with their children - Tucki's son Heki'i, 15, their 7-year-old daughter Heikura and 2-year-old son Ihaka.
The children are being homeschooled, plenty of movies are being watched - despite the "terrible" internet connection, and Tucki said she had been learning to make clothes the traditional way with bark cloth.
Shields, a professional photographer, said the lack of tourists had also provided a unique opportunity to capture the island's desolate beauty.
"One of my favourite things now is to head out to the coast early in the morning and take photos.
"It sounds very selfish. There are people struggling here, and perhaps I should be worried, but really I feel amazing and it makes you realise how simply you can live.
"Living off the land and sea, collecting rainwater, chopping firewood, cooking outside under the stars - this is why we came here 12 years ago."
Rapa Nui is world famous for its dramatic landscapes. Photo / Marc Shields
Shields met Tucki, who grew up on Rapa Nui, when they were both studying at the University of Waikato in 2007. She was there on a scholarship, and always planned to return to her island home.
By the following year they were engaged, and moved to the island shortly after, soon starting their tourism company Green Island Tours and Travel.
They run a wide range of tours across the island covering everything from volcanic hikes to visiting the moai, various cruise options and even stargazing.
With an economy heavily-based on tourism Shields said there was a lot of uncertainty about the future.
"Everyone is worried about the coming months. Some of the island's inhabitants could probably last for a month with the borders closed.
"I feel for those without a lot of money, who are reliant on tourists. People will be running up their credit cards just to buy food.
